FORMER Manchester City and Port Vale defender Ian Brightwell has been appointed as the new reserve team coach at Moss Rose.

The 36-year-old joins his former City and Vale boss Brian Horton, who said he was delighted to bring him to the club.

He told Express Sport: "I had Ian as a player at Manchester City and Port Vale, he has a fantastic career and is going to look after the reserves. He did very well for me at Port Vale as first team coach and I'm sure he'll do a good job with a very young reserve team this season."

Brightwell has also signed playing forms, but Horton said he is unlikely to be included at first team level.

"He is still a very fit lad and was playing for Port Vale as recently as last season, but I think he will be considered part of the reserves if he plays," he said.

As a player, Ian spent most of his career with Manchester City where he was a trainee who went on to play almost 400 games for the club, weighing in with 19 goals.

He moved to Coventry in 1998 and then on to Walsall in 2000 where he played almost 100 more matches -often alongside new Silkmen signing Tony Barras at the back. Another move took him to Stoke City and then on to Port Vale to add another 50 appearances to make a total of 524 games.

Off the pitch he was appointed first team coach at Port Vale last season by Brian Horton, then boss at Vale Park.

John Askey will remain as assistant boss and Steve Carroll will be moved to work with the youth team.

Horton said he has high hopes for the reserve team this season - tipping several young players to make a big impact. He said: "It's the way I like to work, bringing young players on and giving them a go. We've brought in a couple of good young players and we'll give them an opportunity, but we had some good kids here already.

"Players like Steve Brackenridge and Michael Carr will get their chance in the reserves and if they do well, the first team."

Macc officially announced the signing of four young players this week: Tommy Rooney; Michael Briscoe; Neil Morgan and Joey Jones. Young defender Andrew Smart also signed a new one-year deal at the club.